Dillon Thomas, 32, has admitted he was part of the 2023 motorhome shooting that left an Arlington man dead, pleading guilty Thursday to amended charges in Snohomish County Superior Court. Thomas acknowledged he was an accomplice to second-degree murder and also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4, 2026. The victim, 33-year-old Austin Hoerner, was shot multiple times in his motorhome off 116th Street NE in Arlington and died days later.
According to HeraldNet, Thomas entered his pleas on June 18 while he was on community custody and admitted his role in the attack. The judge told the courtroom that the amended charges better reflect what Thomas said he did and noted that the plea comes with separate potential prison time attached to the firearm conviction.
How Investigators Say The Motorhome Attack Unfolded
Investigators say two men showed up at Hoerner’s motorhome on the morning of Feb. 7, 2023, forced their way inside and, after a heated verbal confrontation, Hoerner was shot multiple times, according to charging papers reviewed by local reporters. Cellphone data and surveillance video tied the men to the scene and showed the suspects lingering in the area for more than two-and-a-half hours before the gunfire, detectives told the Lynnwood Times.
Co-defendant Died In Jail Before Facing Trial
The second man originally charged in the killing, David C. Koeppen, never made it to trial. He died in October 2023 while being held at the Snohomish County Jail, authorities reported. KIRO 7 reported that Koeppen was found unresponsive in his cell and that deputies attempted CPR. A press release from the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed his identification.
What Thomas Faces At Sentencing
Under the plea deal, Thomas technically faces up to life in prison on the murder charge and as much as 10 years on the firearm count. The judge outlined a standard sentencing range of roughly 24 to 33 years for the murder conviction and about seven to 9.5 years for the weapons conviction. Court records also show Thomas has around 10 prior felony convictions, including multiple assault cases, a history prosecutors could spotlight when they argue for a sentence, according to HeraldNet.
Thomas is due back in Snohomish County Superior Court on Aug. 4 for sentencing, a hearing that is expected to close a long pretrial chapter that began with the Feb. 2023 shooting. The case remains active in county court as lawyers prepare pre-sentencing reports and line up witnesses for what could be a lengthy August proceeding.
